Government ministers praise Amplify programme

YOUTH Development Minister Foster Cummings, Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell and Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga praised the Youth Development Ministry's Amplify programme as a welcome initiative that will benefit TT's young people.

They did so at the launch of the programme at the National Energy Skills Centre auditorium in Couva on Friday. The programme will run for seven weeks and train 100 students in various aspects of music apprenticeship.

Cummings told the media, "We expect that, coming out of this training, this cohort, we will get significant successes. Many of these young persons are very talented."

He was confident that Amplify would provide them with the additional skills they need to carry their talent to the next level."

The programme focused not only on aspiring entertainers but producers and other professions within the music industry."

Cummings said, "We will continue to give opportunities to our young people."

He added that Amplify joins other recently launched programmes by his ministry to help young people hone their skills in agriculture and construction.

"We will continue to roll out programmes because we have a very large youth population in TT. The Government, as the Prime Minister has indicated, is committed to making sure that we have opportunities for the development of our young people."

Cummings added there could be collaboration between his ministry and others to help find opportunities for Amplify graduates.

"We are working with the limited resources that we do have. It's an all of government approach."

Amplify is open to residents of both Trinidad and Tobago. Its modules are offered both in person and virtually.

In his earlier address to Amplify participants, Cummings told them, "The world wants what we have." He said TT's creativity is reflected by Carnival, soca music, steel pan and, within recent times, Trinibad dancehall music."

Mitchell said, "Soca music is the most powerful music coming out of this region."

He viewed soca music as being instrumental in the growing popularity of Trinibad.

Mitchell was confident that Amplify graduates would be able to access opportunities within the sphere of tourism, culture and the arts.

De Nobriga said Amplify was an initiative that could drive the creative component of the economy. "Creativity will be the fuel of the future."

As the line minister for state-owned TT Television (TTT) and other state-owned media, de Nobriga said these were avenues to promote local content and talent as well as giving individuals an opportunity to shine